Move Your Hand
was recorded live at
Club Harlem
in Atlantic City on August 9, 1969. Organist
Lonnie Smith
led a small combo -- featuring guitarist
Larry McGee
, tenor saxist
Rudy Jones
, bari saxist
Ronnie Cuber
, and drummer
Sylvester Goshay
-- through a set that alternated originals with two pop covers,
the Coasters
'
"Charlie Brown"
and
Donovan
's
"Sunshine Superman."
Throughout, the band works a relaxed, bluesy, and, above all, funky rhythm; they abandon improvisation and melody for a steady groove, so much that the hooks of the two pop hits aren't recognizable until a few minutes into the track. No one player stands out, but
is thoroughly enjoyable, primarily because the group never lets their momentum sag throughout the session. Though the sound of the record might be somewhat dated, the essential funk of the album remains vital. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine